Pump



Sept. 27, 1949.

Filed June 30, 1947 J. H. DAVIS PUMP 4 Sheets-Sheet l Sept 27, 1949. .1.H. DAVIS 2 ,483,335

Filed June 50, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. H. DAVIS Sept. 27, 194-9,

PUMP

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June so, 1947 J. H. DAVIS Sept. 27, 1949.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 30, 1947 Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNITEDSTATES lATENT' OFFICE PUMP John H. Davis, Detroit, Mich., assignor toJessie A. Davis Foundation, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Delaware 14 Claims.

This invention is a novel improvement in pumps of the type shown in myco-pending application Serial No. 672,801, filed May 28, 1946. and theprincipal object thereof is to provide a pump radically differing inprinciple from the conventional type of pump, same having a conicalshaped impeller carrying fins surrounded by a sleeve secured thereto andclosely fitting the machined outer edges of the fins which arepreferably spirally arranged so that the cone, fins, and sleeve rotateas a unit and impart to a liquid medium a velocity longitudinally of theimpeller axis while building up a pressure radially from intake todischarge by centrifugal force, such pressure and velocity beinggoverned by the rotational speed, diameter of the impeller and lead ofthe fins.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pump of the above typewhich will be simple, novel and eficient in operation, and will becapable of delivering a wide range of fluid capacity by merelyregulating the speed of the propeller, or the area of the outlet.

Other minor objects of the inventionwill be hereinafter set forth. 7

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, which illustrate one practical embodiment thereof to enableothers familiar with the art to adopt and use the same; and willsummarize in the claims the novel features of construction, and novelcombinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my novel pump showing in dotted linesthe arrangement of fins on the impeller.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 -2, Figure l.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the impeller cone head with finsthereon, detached.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the impeller cone head and fins,taken on the line 4-4, Figure 3.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the cone head showing the shape and arrangementof the fins thereon.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section through the upper impeller shaftbearing showing the adjacent parts.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, my pump comprises a 'casing I having aconical impeller chamber la therein adapted to house the impellerhereinafter described, said casing l having an inlet lb at the smallerend of the chamber la, preferably but not necessarily of substantiallyelliptical 2 port lc, as shown in Fig. 1, terminating ina bolting flangeId whereby the pump may be secured to the side of the tank with theinlet port lc registering with the outlet of the tank, said flange ldbeing preferably provided with boltreceiving holes arranged in anydesired manner. By the above construction, the water from the tankentering inlet port lc atth'e bottom of. the casing I passes into theinlet lb which registers with the smaller end of the impeller chamberla.

Alternatively, inlet port lc may be closed by a plate (not shown)secured to the flange Id, and an inlet pipe le (Fig. 1) may be tappedinto a threaded bore If in the base of the inlet lb, directly upon theimpeller axis, said bore I) being normally closed by plug lg (Fig. 2)when the inlet port I0 is used. When the fluid is supplied by inlet pipela, the water enters the inlet port lb in alignment with the axis of theimpeller, hereinafter described.

The casing l, at the larger end of the impeller chamber l a, isthickened as at lh and provided with a series of bolt holes lgi for thereception of bolts 2 which secure a cap casing 3 thereto, the cap 3closing the upper end of the impeller chamber la of casing I. At theupper end of casing l, the inner wall is arcuately recessed as at Im,the same curving outwardly and upwardly with its inner end registeringwith the upper end of the conical impeller chamber la, as shown in Fig.2.

The cap 3 is rounded on its upper surface, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,the same having an outlet 3a adapted to be connected with a dischargepipe P having a valve V therein (Fig. 2) so as to permit control of thevolume of fluid passing therethrough. Cap 3 is provided with an upwardlyextending lug 3b which is bored coaxially with the impeller chamber la,as at 30, to receive the upper anti-friction bearing 4 (Fig. 6) of theimpeller shaft 5 which passes downwardly through a cylindrical housing3d formed on the under side of the top of cap 3. Lubricant may beintroduced into the cylindrical housing 311 through a fitting 3x tolubricate the upper and lower anti-friction bearings 4 and ll! of shaft5.

Above the lug 3b is a head 6, preferably secured thereto by cap screws 1or the like, said head having a bore la through which the upper end ofshaft 5 passes for connection with a prime mover (not shown), suitablesealing means ll being provided within the head 5 to prevent passage offiuid upwardly through the cap 3 along the shaft 5. Within theenlargement of the head 6 is a shape, said inlet lb having a lateralflaring inlet 55' lock nut 9 threaded upon a reduced portion of shaft 5and directly engaging the inner race of the anti-friction bearing 4 forpreventing axial movement of said bearing 4 with respect to the shaft.Any other form of bearing 4 and packing 8 for the shaft 5 may besubstituted for that shown in Fig. 6, the particular form of bearing andpacking forming no part of my present invention.

The lower end of cylindrical lhousingitd. of'cap 3 has an enlarged bore36 to house the lower antifriction bearing ID of shaft 5,, below whichis disposed a spacing washer or collar I I, below which is a packing 12aaround the shaft 5.

head I3 hereinafter referred tngsame-lhavingea bore I3a receiving thelower end of the shaft 5 and being secured thereon by meanssuchas a pm I4. However, any other means-ofsecuringthe impeller head #3 to shaft 5might be utilizei Preferably the impeller head I3 is substantiallycone-shaped with its apex ,disnoseddownwardly, asshown in Fig.5, theupper largerend portion ofithe head ,beinghoilowedloizrecessedas at.[311; andaspr'ing I,5'is disposed'around theshaftifbetween the top ofthe impellerheadjIi-i and'the packingflfi to maintain the packing .andspacing washer LI 'in.the operative position shown in .Fig. 2;.a washerI2a being preferably disposedbelow thepackingfi to be engaged by thespring 15,;

As shown in Fig. 2 .the upper end ofthe impeller conehead'ifi isdisposed'flush with the lower. .end of the arcuate portion Im oftheimpeller chamber Ia of .casing I; and on the cutersurface of" theimpeller. are a ,plurality of spira1, ribs .or fins Iii whichareshaped-asshownjinFigs. 3, tan-d5 but maybe'somewhat mcdified'as-desired, said fins being-of 'lessdepthat their upper ends than attheirl'owen'and the lower'ends'o'f the finsterminatingatthe" lower end:of theimpell'er chamber In, "andbeing triangularly shaped as at 16a asshown more particularly in Fig. 3. Preferably oneredge of each ofthefins lthasa lead of substantially 1-5" while the other edge-hasalead-of substantially 18", so as to prevent 'fbrmationof avacuumon'theback surfaces of-the fins.

The'outer edgesof the jfins arespaced' from but parallel withthewallnfthe=impeller chamber Ia; andmounted uponthe outer edges 'of'thefins-extending the full=length thereof-is a conical sleeve I? spacedfrom butparallel with the wall of impeller-chamber' Iaysai'dsleeve i1-being-welded,

brazed, or otherwise rigidly secured to the impeller fins-so as torotate with the head I 3 as a unit. Preferably the ends of the impellerchamber l a are formed asat' in and Y I-p to make 'a. close runningfitwith the ends of the sl-eeve'l I to prevent sediment from readilybecoming lodged between the sleeve I and thewall of impeller: chamberIa, the clearance'at'the'outlet In being substantially'three times theclearance at the inlet Ip sothat the passage offiind thIOugh-the imp L.l'er- [3-, F6, :Il' will 'create a vacuumtending' to' suck any-sediment,grit, sand or-"the' like frombe'tween the-cylinder I? and the'wallof theimpeller'chamber, thus maintainingsaid space clear ofsextraneousforeigmmatter. Preferably; the clearance-between the lower endofthesleeve' I I and tlreflower endof the ribs i lfiis approximately:1005' more or less, the" purpose of the clearance beingito eavoidfriction between'the parts.

shown, the distance between: the-cone head It'and the sleeve I ITlessenstnwardstheuppen end of the impeller, and in alignment with t'hecone head I 3 at the-upper end: ofrtheimpeller-chamber kids a ring m theouter surface of which forms a=continuation of the outer endso'f -thefinsitlof On shaft 5* below packing I2 is mounted the .irnpellermone theimpeller at the upper end of the chamber Ia, said ring I3 terminating atthe top of the casing I. Ring I8 is provided with a hub I81) which has apressed fit around the enlarged lower end of the cylindrical housing ofthe cap 3. The clearance between the lower end of the ring I8 and thetop of the cone head [3 is approximately .015.

lRiing tii carries :on its exterior'a. series pf short finsifiwlhig. 2)disposedatapproximatel'y 30 degrees to the axis of the shaft 5, saidfins having ttheir outer ends conforming with the arcuate wall 112:. inthe top of the casing I so as to make a close fit therewith. The objectof the fins I8 is to conwertctheemtaryrmotion of the fluid when leaving,theiinmellernhamber into rectilinear motion, 1. e.,

miremermssubsiniitially axially of the shaft 5 heforeethelwaterpassesinto the cap 3. While I have 'lndicated three fins Iila may be utilizedon .t-beiringstfl, obviously a greater or lesser number may be used, andthe fins may be arranged at vzaricusran ularitiesqto.convert therotarymotion of. .thefluidleaving the impeller into .arsubstantiallyrectilinear .motion whenenterlng theoutlet portsfihinbapt which leadtotheloutlet'ia.

.Capfilpontainsacore 3g.extending'from'the upper. .endotthe ring,wandfbeing substantially narallelwiththe ulmerrwall-of'the caps",although the distance may, be slightly increased towards thevoutl'et 3a,said'space, being denoted by thereference numeral 371..

Imopemtion;

"By the above construction, waterenteringthe inlet H) of the casingI-throughthegpipe=le--(or the inlet In) is 'raised" byatmosphericpressure intothe lowerend-ofthe impe'ller' I8, Hi; I! where'thewater'iscaughtby-the ribs or'fins Hi ofthe impeller and passed upwardlybetweenthe cone head I33 andrthe'sleeve "I 'Pbetweenthe fins or ribsIii, the weight of 'thewater acting as a flywheel sothat as-the shaftbisrotated atremendous centrffugalforce is-builtup within'the impeller;causingthewaterto pass-upward ly=into therrcap 3. As theshaft-5isrotated, the-impeller 13, 1 6*, IIrotates' therewlth andthe-rapidincrease in diameter of the impeller'cone myoombined with thehigh pitch of" the-"spiral fins -I 6, and the-angularity of the sleeve Il-around the fins-l6 will cause the liquid pressure within theimpeller-to gradually build up parallel with the impelleraxis,forcing-the'liquidupwardly through theimpeller'wg it, Ilbetween the-finsIB while building'up-a high pressure ra-'dially,- 'due 170513118centrifugal force, which pressure-reacts upon'the conical -sleeve I I toexert an axial component, whereby; -as=the 'liquid' emerges from theupper tips of the ribs I6, the liquid in sleeve 1-7 isg'iven a-stronswirling motion and-a =rapid=movement towards outlet 31:, which swirlingmotionJhowever,- is-counteracted before-reaching the cap 3 by the ribsor fins 43a: of ring 18, :as a result of which-the fl'cw of liquld is=caused=to proceed in a substantially rectilinear di-rectionwith-respect to shaft 5 when passing towards the'outlet-3a.

f he quantity -of liquid delivered through the outlet-ta maybevaried' byvaryingthe speed of rotation of the impeller, I or by adjusting valve Vin the outlet pine P.

My'pump wil1 have a :wide range of capacity depending upon theadjustment of the valve V, whereby -thepump may he continued-to be runat full :speed while delivering only a small capacity withoutiinjurythereto as no back-pressure -isibuiltup therein toeiniure thepump. Thisfeatureiiseanzzimportant:improvement-over con ventional pumps designedfor only one capacity and which must be driven at the designedspeed todeliver such capacity, for in my pump, as the valve V is closed, thepower to rotate the impeller at the same speed becomes, less rather thangreater.

In actual practice my pump, while pumping 6000 gallons per minute, hashad its capacity reduced to only five gallons per minute by regulatingthe valve V beyond the outlet 3a, with acorresponding decrease in powernecessary to rotate the impeller.

My pump operates somewhat similar to that disclosed in my companionapplication Serial No. 672,801 aforementioned, but in the presentinvention the shaft enters the pump casing adjacent the outlet endrather than the inlet end.

In my pump it will be noted that there is no friction between the watrrin its passage through the impeller and any stationary parts of thecasing, the water being engaged only by rapidly rotating surfaces,thereby cutting down or reducing liquid friction to a minimum.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawings, forobviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A liquid pump, comprising a casing having a substantially conicalimpeller chamber progressively contracting towards one end into aninlet, said casing being open at the larger end of the chamber; a capclosing the open end of the casing and having an outlet; a driven shaftjournaled in the cap coaxially of the chamber; an impeller on said shaftwithin the chamber and comprising a substantially cone-shaped headprogressively enlarging towards said cap, a series of spirally arrangedribs on said head spaced from the wall of the chamber, and a sleevesurmounting the ribs and rotatable with the head and embracing thelength of the ribs and having a slight clearance from the wall of thechamber; the spacing between the head and sleeve progressivelydecreasing towards the larger end of the impeller; and a fixed ringwithin the casing adjacent the cap and having fins therein adapted toconvert the rotary motion of the liquid emerging from the impeller intorectilinear motion within the ring before passing into the cap.

2. In a pump as set forth in claim 1, said ring forming a continuationof the larger end of the head and terminating flush with the larger endof the casing, and said fins being disposed between the ring and casing.

3. In a pump as set forth in claim 1, said ring forming a continuationof the larger end of the head and terminating flush with the larger endof the casing; said fins being disposed between the ring and casing; anda core in said cap forming a continuation of the ring, said core beingspaced from the inner wall of the cap and providing a channel thereinleading to the outlet.

4. In a pump as set forth in claim 1, said cap having a cylindricalhousing therein coaxial with said impeller in which said driven shaft isjournaled; and said ring being mounted on said cylindrical housing.

5. In a pump as set forth in claim 1, said cap having a cylindricalhousing therein coaxial with said impeller in which said driven shaft isjournaled; said head being recessed at its larger end; and a packing onsaid shaft adjacent the lower end of the housing; and a coiled springaround the shaft interposed between the head and packing.

6. In a pump as set forth in claim 1, said ribs extending'below thesmaller end of the neadand being triangularly shaped adjacent the inlet;the opposite'side walls'of the ribs having-different pitches to preventformation of vacuum by passage of fluid along the ribs.

'7. In a pump asset forth in claim 1, the clear ance between the sleeveand wall of the chamber at the larger end of the sleeve beingsubstantially three times that at the smaller end of the sleeve, wherebythe space between the sleeve and wall of the chamber will be maintainedsubstantially free from sediment during operation.

8. A liquid pump, comprising a casing having a substantially conicalimpeller chamber progressively contracting towards one end into aninlet, said casing being open at the larger end of the chamber; a capclosing the open end of the casing and having an outlet; a driven shaftjournaled in the cap and entering the larger end of the chambercoaxially thereof; an impeller on said shaft within the chamber andcomprisin a substantially cone-shaped head progressively enlargingtowards said cap and terminating adjacent the larger end of saidchamber, a series of spirally arranged ribs on said head having a steeppitch, said ribs being spaced from the wall of the chamber, and a sleevesurmounting the ribs and rotatable with the head and. embracing thelength of the ribs and having a slight clearance from the wall of thechamber; the spacing between the head and sleeve progressivelydecreasing towards the larger end of the impeller; and a fixed ringwithin the casin adjacent the cap and having fins therein adapted toconvert the rotary motion of the liquid emerging from the impeller intorectilinear motion within the ring before passin into the cap.

9. In a pump as set forth in claim 8, said ring forming a continuationof the larger end of the head and terminating flush with the larger endof the casing; said fins being disposed between the ring and the casing;and said ring being nonrotatably mounted on said cap.

10. In a pump as set forth in claim 8, said ring forming a continuationof the larger end of the head and terminating flush with the larger endof the casing; said fins bein disposed between the ring and the casing;and a core in said cap forming a continuation of the ring and beingspaced from the inner wall of the cap and providing a channel thereinleading to the outlet.

11, In a pump as set forth in claim 8, said cap having a cylindricalhousing therein coaxial with said impeller in which said driven shaft isjournaled; said ring being fixedly mounted on said cylindrical housing;and means for preventing passage of liquid from said chamber along thesaid shaft.

12. In a pump as set forth in claim 8, said cap having a cylindricalhousing therein coaxial with said impeller in which said driven shaft isjournaled; and means for preventin passage of liquid from said chamberalong the said shaft comprising a packing on said shaft adjacent thelower end of the housing; and a coiled spring around the shaftinterposed between the head and packing.

13. In a pump as set forth in claim 8, said ribs extending below thesmaller end of the head and being triangularly shaped adjacent theinlet; the opposite side walls of the ribs having different sgmgsas apitchesto :prevent fopmatinm ofwacuum by'passage of fluid along theribs.

1491112. pumpfassetforth inaelaim\8, themlear- Bnce-bebween ithe:sleevaand vmll of :the chamber 'atflilmlarger' endof thesleeve beingsubstantially threemimes that at :the 1-smallenend .of the-sleeve,whereby-irhe 'spaee betweenthe sleeveand-wall-of the chamber will bemaintained: substantially free from sedimentduringoperation.

JOHN HWDANISL REFERENCES" crmn The. following referencxesare of record-1the 'filenf patent:

